New Mortal Kombat 1 footage may be a hinting that Shang Tsung is not the main villain in the game. Instead, the footage may have revealed that a fan favorite of the franchise may be making his return in a big way in Mortal Kombat 1.For many fans, Shang Tsung is the best villain in the Mortal Kombat series. Shang Tsung is a powerful sorcerer with the ability to steal souls. He first appeared as the main antagonist and unplayable final boss in the arcade version of the first Mortal Kombat. He later became playable in Mortal Kombat 2, as well as a handful of other games in the series. Despite his villainous nature, some fans have shown a soft spot for the evil sorcerer, who in later games has been depicted as an anti-hero rather than a villain.The developers of Mortal Kombat 1 have already confirmed that Shang Tsung is in the game as a playable character, but they haven’t yet confirmed his status as the main antagonist of the story. During the Mortal Kombat 1 stress test, a clip was posted on Twitter that may explain who the main villain might be. In the clip, two Liu Kang players go head-to-head on the character select screen, with one of them asking if Onaga exists in their timeline. The other Liu Kang explains that not only does he exist in his timeline, he rules it.
Onaga is known as the Dragon King and was once the ruler of Outworld. His debut appearance was in Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance as the main villain in that game, and he returned in Mortal Kombat: Armageddon as a playable character. Despite his death, Onaga still remains a popular character in the Mortal Kombat universe and a favorite among fans. He’s considered one of the most powerful characters in the lore, and many fans are hoping for Onaga’s return in Mortal Kombat 1.
Of course, this recent footage is not confirmation of the character's return. There’s always the chance that the moment between the two Liu Kang players is just a nod to the dead Dragon King and nothing more. It’s tough to say which character should be crowned the main villain in this newest entry. Mortal Kombat 1 is a title that’s reminiscent of the first game in the series where Shang Tsung was the main villain, so it feels full circle for him to be the main bad guy here. However, if the developers want a truly rebooted feel to Mortal Kombat 1, perhaps a newer villain like Onaga should fill the role.
Mortal Kombat 1 will release on September 19 for Nintendo Switch, PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
